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Starch digestion in the small intestines of the dairy cow is low, to a large extent, due to a shortage of syntheses of α -amylase. One strategy to improve the situation is to enhance the synthesis of α -amylase. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway, which acts as a central regulator of protein synthesis, can be activated by leucine. Our objectives were to investigate the effects of leucine on the mTOR signalling pathway and to define the associations between these signalling activities and the synthesis of pancreatic enzymes using an in vitro model of cultured Holstein dairy calf pancreatic tissue. The pancreatic tissue was incubated in culture medium containing l -leucine for 3 h, and samples were collected hourly, with the control being included but not containing l -leucine. The leucine supplementation increased α -amylase and trypsin activities and the messenger RNA expression of their coding genes (P <0.05), and it enhanced the mTOR synthesis and the phosphorylation of mTOR, ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (P <0.05). In addition, rapamycin inhibited the mTOR signal pathway factors during leucine treatment. In sum, the leucine regulates α -amylase and trypsin synthesis in dairy calves through the regulation of the mTOR signal pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amount of 1.8 μm of ultra-fine petroleum coke was prepared by air jet mill and used to prepare the petroleum coke oil slurry for a diesel engine. The results indicated that the viscosity of the slurry decreased from 587 to 305 mPa·S, when the amount of additive NDZ-105 increased from 0 to 2 wt%. The coke oil slurry was used in the modified R180 diesel engine, and the results showed that the engine maximum power reduced by 19% compared with burning diesel fuel, and the smoke emission was 2–5 times higher than burning diesel fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background/Aim: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is not a widely accepted indication for liver transplantation (LT). The present study describes our institutional experience with patients who underwent transplantation for ICC. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 11 consecutive patients with ICC who underwent LT between October 2003 and November 2008 at our institution. Results: At a median patient follow-up interval of 10 months (2-56), the median survival time was 9 months (2.5-53). The perioperative mortality and the recurrence rate were 0 and 45.5%, respectively. Five patients are currently alive 10, 12, 41, 51 and 53 months after LT, respectively. One patient died 3 months after LT as a result of bile leak and toxic shock, and 5 patients died of tumor recurrences at 2.5, 8, 8, 9 and 10 months post-LT, respectively. The 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year disease-free survival rates and overall survival rates of all the patients were 51.9, 51.9, 51.9 and 51.9%, and 50.5, 50.5, 50.5 and 50.5%, respectively. Conclusion: With better and strict patient selection, the prognosis of LT for ICC could be improved. ICC patients with lymph node involvement, vascular or bile duct invasion are contraindicated for LT. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superfine spherical hollow ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (NH4H2PO4) fire-extinguishing particles are first produced by the spray-drying method. The particles prepared at drying gas inlet temperature ranging from 180°C to 220°C are composed of NH4H2PO4. When the proportion of FK-510 increases from 5 wt%to 10 wt%, the surfaces of the as-prepared particles become rougher, and the volume mean size of particles increases from 11.25 to 15.44 µm. When the proportion of FK-510 increases from 10 to 15 wt%, the amount of broken spherical hollow particles clearly decreases and the volume mean size of particles decreases from 15.44 to 13.5 µm. The flow rate and bulk density of the particles prepared from the solution containing the proportion of FK-510 ranging from 5 to 15 wt% decreases with an increase in the proportion of FK-510. When 15 wt% of FK-510 is added, diesel oil contact angle of particles markedly increases. In addition, water contact angle of particles decreases with an increase in the proportion of FK-510. XPS analysis suggests that the wettability of particles is attributed to the migration of FK-510 and silicone oil emulsion to the surface of particles during the spray-drying process. Diesel oil contact angles of particles agree with fluorine element concentrations on the surface of particles, while water contact angles of particles agree with silicon element concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular apoptosis plays an important role in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury during organ transplantation. Synthetic small interference RNA (siRNA) targeting apoptotic receptor Fas has proven effective to protect mice against hepatitis and renal I/R injury. The objective of this study is to investigate the silencing impact of Fas siRNA to alleviate I/R injury in rat liver transplantation. Rat hepatocytes (BRL cells) were transfected with three pairs of synthesized Fas siRNA; cells untreated and treated with GFP siRNA were taken as blank and siRNA control. The most effective Fas siRNA was chosen for in vivo experiments. Syngeneic orthotopic liver transplantation was performed in Fas siRNA group, siRNA control group, and blank control group of Sprague–Dawley rats. There were 25 pairs of rats in each group. siRNA transfection of donor rats was done with hydrodynamic injection method 48 h before liver procurement. Blood and liver samples were collected for evaluation of serum ALT levels, Fas protein and mRNA expression, and apoptosis by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after liver transplantation. Fas siRNA2, which inhibited Fas gene expression much more than other siRNAs, was chosen for in vivo experiment. The serum ALT levels of Fas siRNA group were much less than those of blank and siRNA control groups 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after blood reperfusion, indicating diminishing ischemia-reperfusion injury. Donor livers in Fas siRNA group had substantially less cell apoptosis. The expression of Fas mRNA and protein was reduced dramatically in the Fas siRNA group compared with the other two groups. Fas-mediated apoptosis play an important role in I/R injury of rat liver transplantation. Silencing Fas by hydrodynamic injection of siRNA holds therapeutic promise to limit I/R injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]